Empty, pluck and clean the pigeons. Dry them and season them. Chop the onions and the garlic and first wash and then quarter the mushrooms. Put a casserole on the heat with half the oil and the lard. When it is hot, add the pigeons and lightly fry them for a few minutes until they brown. Then add the onions, half the garlic and the mushrooms so they fry together for a few minutes. Sprinkle with a little flour, flambé with the brandy, add the stock and cook for a quarter of an hour. Fry the slices of bread separately with half the chopped garlic and mash it all in a mortar with the saffron strands. Add the mixture to the pigeons and put the casserole back in a low oven for another five minutes.